Health

28 Mar 2016
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5 Ways to Achieve a Peaceful Night of Sleep

Sticky Post By On March 28, 2016

It’s not uncommon to toss and turn, squeeze your eyes shut and count backwards from 100 while trying to get that long awaited good night’s sleep. Studies have found that around 1 in 3 people have at least mild insomnia.

For years, scientists have been in disagreement regarding how to ‘treat’ sleep deprivation that approximately 60 million Americans struggle with each night. Still, there is much disparity in proposing one accepted solution, however there are many ways in which we can improve our overall sleeping patterns. Here are five ways you can restore your disrupted sleep cycle:

  1. Reduce Stress Levels: Most likely, one of things keeping you up at night is your mind racing about all you have to do the next day, or that fight you had with your significant other. Stress is the leading cause of restless nights here in the US. Some advice: Do not go to bed angry. Also, avoid the excessive caffeine and energy drinks throughout the day.
  2. Peace and Quiet, Eliminate Noise: Give your mind the rest it needs to fall into the deep sleep you hope for each night. Falling asleep to the TV keeps your mind working and interrupts your sleep cycle. Noise free is the way to go!
  3. Eat Light, Eat Early: It’s best to eat 3-4 hours before you settle in for the night. Going to sleep on a full stomach will keep your body working all night to digest that late night snack. Your body will thank you in the morning after eating an early, light meal.
  4. Morning Rituals: Make a routine. Wake up at 6am and exercise before work, get your day started early rather than rolling out of bed and into the office. This routine will help to prepare your mind for sleep hours later.
  5. Be Proactive: If you’re not sleeping well, then do something about it. Change up your habits. Improvements aren’t going to happen overnight, this must be something you are diligent about; you must work hard to see change.

A good night’s sleep will help support a productive, gratifying day of work. Being well rested is at the very core of an improved lifestyle. At Shift, we want our members to be operating at 100%, so we hope these tips will help those struggling to find that peaceful night of sleep.

23 Mar 2016
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11 Healthy Snacks to Eat at Work

Sticky Post By On March 23, 2016

That bag of chips always seems like a good idea at the time. We habitually reach for that fast easy snack without a thought because it’s what just we’ve always done and the number one reason– it’s easy. However it is exactly what you should not be doing, especially when sitting at a desk all day long. We should be filling our body with healthy nutrients and energy fueling ingredients, everything that bag of chips lacks.

 

Many people associate healthy eating with over-priced products and a lot of extra prep time just to enjoy a meal. People lack the motivation to eat healthy because they feel they just don’t have the time. Though, little do they know- it’s not that hard, it’s not that expensive, and can be pretty delicious if you do it right. So instead of grabbing that diet coke and bag of chips to fill that mid-day snack time, you should think about some other options. Consider the following:

1.Apple or Banana with Peanut Butter

2. Rice Crackers with Avocado or Nutella Spread

3. Popcorn

4. Veggies with Hummus

5. Dry Roasted Almonds

6. Dry Roasted Edamame

7. Trail Mix

8. Greek Yogurt with Granola

9. Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils with Bruschetta Sauce

10. Dried Mango Slices

11. Spinach Parmesan Quinoa

We offer many of these options as a complimentary perk for our members. It’s important to us that our members eat healthy and focus on wellness. That’s why we provide access to our fitness center and offer free classes in addition to healthy refreshments. But if you’re crabby from eating only rabbit food, we have plenty of Cheez-its to go around.

10 Feb 2016
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3 Ways to Get Moving at Work

Sticky Post By On February 10, 2016

It’s 6am. Your alarm goes off and you roll over to hit snooze. You take those extra five minutes to mentally prepare opening your eyes for the day. It’s 6:05 and you finally arise, feet hit the ground and you walk to the sink to brush your teeth. If you’re like me and work in an office, this may be some of the only moments that you get on your feet. Sure, you walk to the car, walk into work, walk to get coffee and may even dabble in an hour of exercise that day. But is that enough?

A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic has proven that remaining sedentary for long periods of time increases your risk of metabolic syndrome. This results in increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. But you work out right? You take a break and go on a run or you start off your day with a spinning class. Unfortunately, research shows that—while this may help mitigate risk—it doesn’t particularly curtail the effects of elongated sitting.

So what can you do to combat these risks? Constant, steady movement throughout the day is key. And unfortunately this may be the only solution. While we understand that this can seem unattainable with the work life so many of us are consumed by, there are several small changes you can make to largely benefit your health & wellness.

  • Improvise your desk situation. If all you have is a desk, then why not add a lift to your computer so that it can meet you at eye -level while standing? Don’t want to spend money on a mount? Grab stacks of unused computer paper and set your laptop on top of that homemade computer stand.
  • Use an ergonomic desk. Don’t have enough paper lying around to create a mount? Go ergonomic. The offices at Shift are stacked with ergonomic desks, and most of them are automatic. This forces you to stand all day, and you can bust out some dance moves, too.
  • Eat lunch standing up. Shift’s community kitchen is a great place to take a lunch. Grab your leftovers and head over to the tall barstools. Kick those bad boys out of the way and enjoy. Hey, chances are you’ll take part in stimulating conversation with a fellow member. Get your blood flowing and network, all the while retaining sustenance.

It’s proven that moving and standing pushes your body to trigger natural processes that break down sugars and fats. You’ll also increase your energy levels, jumpstarting your productivity at work. See, it’s a win-win.

27 Jan 2016
Sticky Post By Posted in Health Permalink

5 Ways to Stay Healthy at Work

Sticky Post By On January 27, 2016

 

Ah, the new year. “New you.” We’re finally weeding through the abundance of health, fitness and mental strength articles on our social feeds. We’re bookmarking at-home workouts, pinning healthy recipes and sharing them amongst friends. Getting back into the swing of things, they say. The new year marks an opportunity for a clean slate, blank pages waiting to be filled with the idea that we can begin again. So why not begin caring about your health again?

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